Thread: John Guillot's Street Tamales

Growing up in New Orleans we always had Tamale Carts at various corners selling little street tamales wrapped in a silicone coated paper. The tamale company went out of business but not till I developed a taste for tamales. A 30 year journey making and tweaking my tamale recipe, process, & eating got well underway. I have never shared my process even with family but time marches on so I think this is the best place to share on the net. The Tamale Seasoning I buy is from Deep South Blenders in 25 pound bags. It is their House mix, nothing special for me.

John Guillot's Street Tamales

Masa Ingredients

1 4lb bag Tamal Masa
1 Tbls Pickling Salt
5 Tbls Baking Powder
2 Tbls Chili Powder
4 Tbls Paprika
4 Tbls Garlic Powder
6 Tbls Onion Powder
1 Tbls Chipolte Powder
2 Cups Solid Fat (I use Lard or Crisco Butter Flavor)
3 Cartons Sam's Club Beef Stock
1/2 of 28oz Can Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce

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First I put all dry ingredients (first 8 ingredients) into the mixing bowl and set the mixer for 3 minute mix. While this is mixing I melt the fat on the stove. It is important to melt the fat first then drizzle it into the mixing bowl to cut into the dry ingredients. After the fat is cut in I slowly add the 3 cartons of beef stock. You want your Masa sticky as it will rise and stiffen up once allowed to sit in the bowl. I always make the Masa first.

Beef Filling Ingredients

5-1/2 Pounds 70/30 Ground Meat
1 Cup Tamale seasoning
2 Cans Rotel Tomatoes with Chilis
2 Tbls Cumin
1-1/2 Tbls Garlic Powder
3 Tbls Onion Powder
1/2 Can Las Palmas Enchilada Sauce
Beef Stock added till soft



I add the dry ingredients to the ground beef first in the mixing bowl and mix till is see the meat is well crumbled. After I add the Rotels and mix again for 2 minutes. Finally I add enough stock to make the meat soft to the touch, easy to squeeze, this is hard describe, it needs to go thru the Extruder, it feels a little wet to the touch too. Once done put it in a bowl near the press.



You want to soak your corn husks in cold water to soften them up before using them. Here I have a big bowl of cold water and have loosely separated the husks before placing them in the bowl. Periodically I come back to the bowl and push the corn husks down again as they want to float till re hydrated.



CT Beavers in Ft Worth is where I bought my Extruder or Tamale Press. He was very instructive during my purchase and sold all the supplies when I was there (25 years ago). So loading the Chambers is very easy. First you fill the smaller Filling Chamber with raw meat. Then you fill the Masa or Coating Chamber about a little more than 1/2 way. While the Masa Chamber is in the stand you press the Meat chamber down inside the Masa Chamber till it stops displacing the Masa around the sides. Once done you load the Chambers into the Press and align the Triple Pistons with their respective openings. Pulling down on the handle Extrudes a Tamale, the amount of pressure, length of time, and resistance with the corn husks you can adjust the size tamale you want.



I press the Tamale into the right side of the Corn Husk well down the the husk then roll the Tamale up, fold the bottom on the opposite side of the seam, flatten a little, then stack. After my tray gets full I load the raw Tamales in a boiling pot "Loosely"! Here is something I was not taught in Ft Worth. If you load the pot too tightly as the Tamales rise they swell to the point of pushing the meat stuffing out of the top. So when placing the Tamales in the pot leave ample room for swelling.



You can just use water to boil your tamale in but for added building of flavors I blend another can of Enchilada Sauce with a cup of Tamale Seasoning and Beef Stock. Boiling needs to be where you see liquid boiling up the sides at all times or you will have parts of tamales that didn't SET. It usually takes 2 hours or more to cook a big pot. This mixture is poured into the pots so the liquid is about 1/2 way up to start. You really can't the liquid in the picture but it is there. When the Tamales rise the liquid will be displaced causing the liquid level to rise. I adjust the liquid levels continually with beef stock keeping the level about 3/4's of a inch below the Tamale tops. Also if you have extras just throw in top of the standing tamales, steam will cook them. I personally like a Boiled Tamale much like you find on the Mississippi Tamale Trail over a Steamed Tamale cooked the Texas and most Mexican Restaurants way. I hope you make some Tamales, making with Friends and Family adds to the fun.

Awesome recipe, thank you so much for sharing. Great writeup and pics, and details.